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Temples in Texts on Architecture (स्थापत्यशास्त्रेषु देवालयाः ) (view source)
Revision as of 12:17, 22 September 2022
, 12:17, 22 September 2022no edit summary
=== Vishnudharmottara Purana (विष्णुधर्मोत्तर पुराणम् ) ===
=== Vishnudharmottara Purana (विष्णुधर्मोत्तर पुराणम् ) ===
The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an Upa-Purana (उप पुराणम् ) affiliated to the Vishnu Purana (विष्णु पुराणम् ). Both these texts are approximately dated to the Gupta Period (5th-6th centuries CE). The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an encyclopedic work covering a broad range of facets of Ancient Indian Culture. It unfolds as a dialogue between King Vajra of Mathura (the great grandson of Bhagavan Sri Krishna) and the Sage Markandeya. One of the most redeeming features of this text is its elaborate descriptions of Hindu Temples and Hindu Iconography. King Vajra requests Sage Markandeya to enumerate the features of temples. The Vishnudharmottara Purana lists various component parts of a temple and also provides their proportionate measurements. The temple must comprise sixty four padas or equal segments. The various types of temples mentioned in this text are Himavan, Malyavan, Shringavan, Agara, Griha, Bhavana, Shikhara, Kunjara, Gandhamadana, Subhadra, Saumya, Arunodaya, Guha, Garuda, Sarvatobhadra, Mekhala, Vriddhida, Triguna, Valabhi, Rajaraja and many more. These are considered to be the names of different kinds of Nagara (North Indian) temples. The same text also prescribes the details of the images of deities which are to be installed in a specific temple. E.g. In the Mekhala type of a temple, images of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara or Ekanmasha between Krishna and Balarama or Trilochana between Ganesha and Skanda should be consecrated. Similarly in the same type of a temple an image or Janardana or Tavshta can also be established between the images of the sun and the moon. When the mandapas are equipped with shikharas the structures are known as Vimanas. Further, the text clearly lays down which deities are not be installed in a particular type of a temple as their installation may lead to misfortune and decline. A temple devoid of mandapas is denoted as a Devakula. The term 'Devakula' is a very ancient one and appears frequently in early inscriptions. The text also includes detailed instructions pertaining to the procurement of raw materials like wood and stone as well as the associated rituals. In addition matters like production of bricks and making of the Vajralepa have also been dealt in detail by this text. The Vishnudharmottara Purana vividly also notes the kind of land on which a temple should be built as well as the land where one must not undertake temple building activities. We also come across the temple construction process involving many rituals. The text mentions the Shilanyasa ritual which was preceded by the installation of the kumbha in the soil of the site. The Shilanyasa ritual involved the placement of baked bricks in the four directions.
The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an Upa-Purana (उप पुराणम् ) affiliated to the Vishnu Purana (विष्णु पुराणम् ). Both these texts are approximately dated to the Gupta Period (5th-6th centuries CE). The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an encyclopedic work covering a broad range of facets of Ancient Indian Culture. It unfolds as a dialogue between King Vajra of Mathura (the great grandson of Bhagavan Sri Krishna) and the Sage Markandeya. One of the most redeeming features of this text is its elaborate descriptions of Hindu Temples and Hindu Iconography. King Vajra requests Sage Markandeya to enumerate the features of temples. The Vishnudharmottara Purana lists various component parts of a temple and also provides their proportionate measurements. The temple must comprise sixty four padas or equal segments. The various types of temples mentioned in this text are Himavan, Malyavan, Shringavan, Agara, Griha, Bhavana, Shikhara, Kunjara, Gandhamadana, Subhadra, Saumya, Arunodaya, Guha, Garuda, Sarvatobhadra, Mekhala, Vriddhida, Triguna, Valabhi, Rajaraja and many more. These are considered to be the names of different kinds of Nagara (North Indian) temples. The same text also prescribes the details of the images of deities which are to be installed in a specific temple. E.g. In the Mekhala type of a temple, images of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara or Ekanmasha between Krishna and Balarama or Trilochana between Ganesha and Skanda should be consecrated. Similarly in the same type of a temple an image or Janardana or Tavshta can also be established between the images of the sun and the moon. When the mandapas are equipped with shikharas the structures are known as Vimanas. Further, the text clearly lays down which deities are not be installed in a particular type of a temple as their installation may lead to misfortune and decline. A temple devoid of mandapas is denoted as a Devakula. The term 'Devakula' is a very ancient one and appears frequently in early inscriptions. The text also includes detailed instructions pertaining to the procurement of raw materials like wood and stone as well as the associated rituals. In addition matters like production of bricks and making of the Vajralepa have also been dealt in detail by this text. The Vishnudharmottara Purana vividly also notes the kind of land on which a temple should be built as well as the land where one must not undertake temple building activities. We also come across the temple construction process involving many rituals. The text mentions the Shilanyasa ritual which was preceded by the installation of the kumbha in the soil of the site. The Shilanyasa ritual involved the placement of baked bricks in the four directions.
=== Matsya Purana (मत्स्य पुराणम् ) ===
The Matsya Purana is counted among the oldest Puranas and is chiefly a Vaishnava Purana. It contains the details regarding the construction of lakes, wells, gardens and temples (devamandira). According to this text, the temple plan has to be divided into 16 parts. Due consideration was to be given to the central four parts and the remaining 12 parts and the Prasada was conceptualized. In this text one finds details pertaining to the proportions of walls, sikhara, pradaksinapatha, mandapa, mukhamandapa and garbhagrha. Almost all Prasadas in general have these components. The proportions of these temple components are interrelated with each other. The Matsya Purana furnishes various names of Prasadas which are as follows- Meru (100 spires, four doors, 16 bhumis), Mandara (12 bhumis), Kailasa (9 bhumis), Kumbha (shaped like a kumbha, 9 bhumis), Simha (shape of a lion), Mriga, Vimana (many spires, 8 bhumis), Chhandaka (8 bhumis), Chaturastra, Astastra, Shodashastra, Vartula, Sarvabhadraka, Simhasya, Nandana, Nandivardhana (7 bhumis), Hamsa, Vrusha-fulfills all desires, Suvarnesha, Padmaka (3 bhumis), Samudgaka (5 amalakas, 16 sided , rear chandrashalas, 2 bhumis), Sarvatobhadra (16 sides , many spires , associated with chitrashalas, 5 bhumis), Gaja (shape of an elephant , many chandrashalas) Mrigaraja ( many spires, 6 bhumis), Garuda (Spread out towards the rear, three chandrashalas, 7 bhumis) and Shri Vrukshaka (similar to Padmaka).The text also describes the building of Temple Toranas which were to be constructed with stone, bricks or wood. Toranas were also used in the Buddhist and Jaina architecture as well as the gateways to cities. Heights of the different prasadas in hastas have been given in this particular text. The text also puts across the details of various mandapas of prasadas are given. Some of these mandapas are- Pushpaka, Pushpabhadra, Suvrata, Amruta Nandana, Kaushalya, Gajabhadra, Jayavaha, Shrivatsa, Vijaya, Shatrumardana, Sugriva, Harit, Shyamabhadra, Subhadra etc.
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